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Sober Awkward

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  • 11. Did Alcohol Give Me Cancer? with Kelly Gunn

    45:33||Season 14, Ep. 11
    Kelly Gunn found a lump in her breast in 2016. She got it checked, kept up with screenings and was repeatedly reassured that what doctors were seeing was benign. Then, in 2024, Kelly was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a double mastectomy, where seven tumours were removed, she was told she'd probably had cancer for around ten years.In this episode, Kelly joins Vic to talk about what happened, the anger of knowing she'd kept asking questions and still been reassured, and what life looks like after cancer. But they also tackle a difficult question: what role does alcohol play in breast cancer risk, and why do so many women still not know about the connection?This is not a conversation about blaming Kelly, or anyone else, for getting cancer. It's about the information many of us never had while we were drinking, the uncomfortable facts about alcohol and cancer, and learning to take care of the body you've spent years taking for granted.An honest, sometimes difficult conversation about booze, breast cancer, self advocacy and what happens when you finally start giving a shit about Future You.Kelly Gunn is a writer, breast cancer advocate, bodybuilder, and founder of FEINIX HAUS. She writes and speaks about sobriety, identity, bodies, choices, and the wonderfully awkward business of figuring out what comes after.IG - @feinix_hausTT @unapologeticallyafterwebsite - www.thefeinixhaus.com💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 https://amzn.asia/d/0aZ69GpKVic's book 'Mumming - A year of Trying (and Failing) to be a better parent - https://amzn.asia/d/0bUJTS2W🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

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  • The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

    06:59|
    The Share Shed – Sober Awkward Writing Competition Specials - No More Doors - By Kristen MEvery Thursday, we’re handing the story telling over to you.Over the next few months, Vic will be reading some of the incredible entries from this year’s Sober Awkward Writing Competition. Honest, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, awkward and beautifully human, these stories come from people all over the world who have experienced the ups and downs of changing their relationship with alcohol.Whether you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, years into recovery, or simply wondering if life might feel better without booze, we hope these stories remind you that you’re not alone.Writing has a powerful way of helping us make sense of our lives. It can shine a light on things we’ve hidden away, help us process difficult experiences, and remind us just how resilient we really are. Plus, it’s considerably cheaper than therapy and doesn’t require you to wear pants.So grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and join us for this week’s Share Shed as Vic tells another story from our amazing community.💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here or head to the website to find out more about writing mentorships with Vic.👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women📞 SUPPORT & RESOURCESIf anything in today’s episode felt familiar, or you’re worried about your drinking, there is support available. You don’t have to do this alone.🇦🇺 AustraliaNational Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline📞 1800 250 015 (24/7)https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/alcohol-and-drug-information-serviceLifeline📞 13 11 14 (24/7)https://www.lifeline.org.auHello Sunday Morning / Daybreakhttps://hellosundaymorning.orghttps://daybreakapp.com.auClean Slate Clinichttps://www.cleanslateclinic.com🇬🇧 United KingdomDrinkline📞 0300 123 1110https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/Alcohol Change UKhttps://alcoholchange.org.ukWe Are With Youhttps://www.wearewithyou.org.uk🌍 InternationalAlcoholics Anonymoushttps://www.aa.orgSMART Recoveryhttps://www.smartrecovery.org💬 A Gentle ReminderIf you’re drinking in the morning to cope, especially with anxiety or withdrawal symptoms, it’s important to speak to a doctor or medical professional. Stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe for some people, and getting support can make a huge difference.
  • 10. Finding Levity in Sobriety - With Audrey

    55:42||Season 14, Ep. 10
    This week, I’m joined by Audrey, host of the Dry Humor podcast, for a very sensible and grown-up conversation about motherhood, college drinking and whether spending your life taking the piss out of yourself is a healthy coping mechanism or simply a way of avoiding your feelings?Audrey lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, two children and two dogs. She has been sober since 11 July 2022 and is an active member of the sober community, including hosting peer-support calls for women. Her podcast, Dry Humor: Finding Levity in Sobriety, explores drinking culture and the messy business of building an alcohol-free life.We travel back to Audrey’s college days, when drinking too much was considered a personality, then explore the strange shift from party girl to parent. What happens when those hilarious stories from your past begin to look as though they might deserve a tiny bit more investigation?There’s mum guilt, embarrassing former selves, questionable memories, motherhood confessions and willy chat. We also ask when self-deprecation stops helping us connect and starts becoming another stick to beat ourselves with. Have we been saved by our ability to laugh at ourselves or should we just go to therapy?Probably both.💛 Resources & LinksFollow Audrey on Instagram: @dryhumorpodcastListen to Dry Humor: Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4fVwQviO63qMbGVK38sMbK?si=bCsMr6jYQMKf2nDtjmB42A&utm_source=copy-linkApplehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dry-humor-finding-levity-in-sobriety/id1865046082📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 https://amzn.asia/d/0aZ69GpKVic's book 'Mumming - A year of Trying (and Failing) to be a better parent - https://amzn.asia/d/0bUJTS2W🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women
  • The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

    07:48|
    The Share Shed – Sober Awkward Writing Competition Specials - My Sober Story - By Emma GEvery Thursday, we’re handing the story telling over to you.Over the next few months, Vic will be reading some of the incredible entries from this year’s Sober Awkward Writing Competition. Honest, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, awkward and beautifully human, these stories come from people all over the world who have experienced the ups and downs of changing their relationship with alcohol.Whether you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, years into recovery, or simply wondering if life might feel better without booze, we hope these stories remind you that you’re not alone.Writing has a powerful way of helping us make sense of our lives. It can shine a light on things we’ve hidden away, help us process difficult experiences, and remind us just how resilient we really are. Plus, it’s considerably cheaper than therapy and doesn’t require you to wear pants.So grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and join us for this week’s Share Shed as Vic tells another story from our amazing community.💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here or head to the website to find out more about writing mentorships with Vic.👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women📞 SUPPORT & RESOURCESIf anything in today’s episode felt familiar, or you’re worried about your drinking, there is support available. You don’t have to do this alone.🇦🇺 AustraliaNational Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline📞 1800 250 015 (24/7)https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/alcohol-and-drug-information-serviceLifeline📞 13 11 14 (24/7)https://www.lifeline.org.auHello Sunday Morning / Daybreakhttps://hellosundaymorning.orghttps://daybreakapp.com.auClean Slate Clinichttps://www.cleanslateclinic.com🇬🇧 United KingdomDrinkline📞 0300 123 1110https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/Alcohol Change UKhttps://alcoholchange.org.ukWe Are With Youhttps://www.wearewithyou.org.uk🌍 InternationalAlcoholics Anonymoushttps://www.aa.orgSMART Recoveryhttps://www.smartrecovery.org💬 A Gentle ReminderIf you’re drinking in the morning to cope, especially with anxiety or withdrawal symptoms, it’s important to speak to a doctor or medical professional. Stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe for some people, and getting support can make a huge difference.
  • 9. Help - I Drink Because I’m Shy..

    32:43||Season 14, Ep. 9
    Vic is flying solo today, with no guest and a letter she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about.You’ll hear from Allison, a woman who started drinking to hide her shyness. She has relied on alcohol for so long that she no longer knows who she is without it.Loads of women have been sharing similar stories in the Sober Awkward Facebook group. They drink before parties, dates and dinners because socialising is fucking hard. Perhaps that’s one of the biggest reasons any of us start drinking. A few glasses quieten the voice telling us we’re boring, awkward or about to say something ridiculous.Unfortunately, that temporary confidence can become the only version of ourselves we trust.Vic looks at social anxiety, identity and the strange business of meeting your sober personality after years of hiding her. There’s some science, plenty of honesty, a penis-shaped teabag holder and a deeply questionable vag spoon.You might never become brilliant at parties. Who cares? Stay for an hour, talk to one nice person, eat the crisps and go home. 📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 https://amzn.asia/d/0aZ69GpKVic's book 'Mumming - A year of Trying (and Failing) to be a better parent - https://amzn.asia/d/0bUJTS2W🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women
  • The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

    07:12|
    The Share Shed – Sober Awkward Writing Competition Specials - 500 Sunrises By Courtney KEvery Thursday, we’re handing the story telling over to you.Over the next few months, Vic will be reading some of the incredible entries from this year’s Sober Awkward Writing Competition. Honest, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, awkward and beautifully human, these stories come from people all over the world who have experienced the ups and downs of changing their relationship with alcohol.Whether you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, years into recovery, or simply wondering if life might feel better without booze, we hope these stories remind you that you’re not alone.Writing has a powerful way of helping us make sense of our lives. It can shine a light on things we’ve hidden away, help us process difficult experiences, and remind us just how resilient we really are. Plus, it’s considerably cheaper than therapy and doesn’t require you to wear pants.So grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and join us for this week’s Share Shed as Vic tells another story from our amazing community.💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here or head to the website to find out more about writing mentorships with Vic.👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women📞 SUPPORT & RESOURCESIf anything in today’s episode felt familiar, or you’re worried about your drinking, there is support available. You don’t have to do this alone.🇦🇺 AustraliaNational Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline📞 1800 250 015 (24/7)https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/alcohol-and-drug-information-serviceLifeline📞 13 11 14 (24/7)https://www.lifeline.org.auHello Sunday Morning / Daybreakhttps://hellosundaymorning.orghttps://daybreakapp.com.auClean Slate Clinichttps://www.cleanslateclinic.com🇬🇧 United KingdomDrinkline📞 0300 123 1110https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/Alcohol Change UKhttps://alcoholchange.org.ukWe Are With Youhttps://www.wearewithyou.org.uk🌍 InternationalAlcoholics Anonymoushttps://www.aa.orgSMART Recoveryhttps://www.smartrecovery.org💬 A Gentle ReminderIf you’re drinking in the morning to cope, especially with anxiety or withdrawal symptoms, it’s important to speak to a doctor or medical professional. Stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe for some people, and getting support can make a huge difference.
  • 8. Does Your Sobriety Have Seasons? with Kate Baily & Amy Doyle

    41:35||Season 14, Ep. 8
    Does your sobriety change with the seasons? Do sunny days suddenly make you think about beer gardens and cold wine, while dark winter evenings have you craving a bottle of red and a blanket?This week, Vic is joined by two guests to explore seasonal living, what it actually means, why humans have always lived according to the rhythms of the year and whether paying a little more attention to the seasons could actually be good for us.First, Vic chats to holistic counsellor Amy Doyle for a broader look at seasonal living. Amy explains why we’re not really designed to operate like machines, doing and feeling exactly the same things all year round, and how noticing changes in our energy, moods, routines and needs can help us feel more connected to ourselves and the world around us.Then Vic chats to Kate Baily, founder of Love Sober, to bring it all back to booze. Kate explores the idea of seasonal sobriety, why different times of year can bring different triggers and drinking associations, and how understanding those patterns might help us prepare for them rather than being completely sideswiped by a sudden urge for a rosé the second the sun comes out.Don’t worry, you don’t need to start foraging or hugging trees. Sometimes seasonal living is simply about paying attention, slowing down when you need to and accepting that perhaps we’re not supposed to feel exactly the same every bloody day of the year.Expect sobriety, sunshine, winter blues, ancient humans and Vic getting unnecessarily excited about a shiny plum.💛 Resources & LinksFollow and find out more about Kat and Love Sober - head to https://www.lovesober.com@lovesober.midlife Read Kats Substack -https://katebaily.substack.comBooksLove Your Sober Year - https://amzn.asia/d/04HRItBVLove Yourself Sober - https://amzn.asia/d/0iclbsZLAmy Doyle - BooksThe way of the five seasons, by John KirkwoodBraiding of sweetgrass, by Robin Wall KimmererBlogshttps://amydoyle.com.au/2026/07/05/why-winter-makes-you-want-to-disappear/https://amydoyle.com.au/2023/05/29/living-in-tune-with-the-seasons-hello-winter/https://amydoyle.com.au/2023/07/17/winter-rituals-seasonal-living-2/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/__amydoyle__/Bio snippet (photos attached - choose either one)Amy Doyle is a Holistic Counsellor who supports women to understand themselves more deeply and lead themselves through the realities of everyday life. Her work brings together self-awareness, emotional wellbeing and practical self-leadership, helping women understand their feelings, needs and patterns and create lives that reflect what actually matters to them. Amy is also exploring seasonal living as a way of deepening our connection with ourselves, our lives and the natural world, and learning to work with our changing rhythms rather than expecting ourselves to be the same every day.📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 https://amzn.asia/d/0aZ69GpKVic's book 'Mumming - A year of Trying (and Failing) to be a better parent - https://amzn.asia/d/0bUJTS2W🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women